Lesley Franklin, 15, rehearses “Waltz of the Flowers” with other local dancers for AVA’s production of “The Nutcracker” at the Conservatory of Movement. / Photos by Andy Barron/Reno Gazette-Journal

Written by

Kathleen Stebbins

Special to the Reno Gazette-Journal

Lauren Steinhardt, 14, front, rehearses with other local dancers for AVA’s production of the Nutcracker Ballet at the Conservatory of Movement. / Provided to the Reno Gazette-Journal

A.V.A.'s "The Nutcracker"

Presented by A.V.A. Ballet Theatre and featuring the Reno Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Michael Borowitz.Performances: Friday at 8 p.m.; Dec. 13, 8 p.m.; Dec. 14, 2 p.m.Where: Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts, 100 S. Virginia St.Cost: Adults, $26 to $51. Children 12 and younger and seniors 60 and over, $21 to $41. Group discounts available. A special Sugar Plum Party will be held after the Sunday afternoon performance where children can meet the Nutcracker characters.Tickets: Call 686-6600; visit www.pioneercenter.com; or visit the Pioneer Center Box Office, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Other "Nutcracker" productions

City Ballet of San Diego Russian NutcrackerWhen: 7 p.m. Dec. 20Where: Grand Sierra Resort, Grand Theatre.Cost: $38.50-$71.50Tickets: Call box office at 800-648-3568Sierra Nevada Ballet's 'Peanutcracker: The Story in a Nutshell'Peanutcracker is a shorter, 45-minute narrated version designed for families with younger children. The events on the 14th and 17th offer reduced rates to organized school groups.Performances:

Virginia City on Dec. 14 When: 2:30 p.m.Where: Piper's Opera House Cost: $5 for students and seniors. All others $10. Information: www.pipersoperahouse.com or call 866-422-1956.

Reno on Dec. 17 When: 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.Where: Pioneer Center for Performing Arts Information and tickets: Contact the Sierra Nevada Ballet at 775-783-3223."Nuncrackers"What: "Nuncrackers" was written by Dan Goggin, author of the off-Broadway hit, "Nunsense." Following the characters from Goggin's original performance last year at St. Theresa, "Nuncrackers" presents the misadventures of nuns on a mission to videotape a children's holiday recital.When: 5 p.m. today Where: St. Theresa Parish Hall, 1041 Lyons Ave., South Lake TahoeCost: $15 adults; $10 seniors; $8 students. Available at the door. Information: 530-544-4788.

More

ADVERTISEMENT

It may be the same Tchaikovsky ballet every year, but A.V.A. Ballet Theatre's production of "The Nutcracker" is anything but static.

"I tweak it each year," said artistic director and choreographer Alexander Van Alstyne. "I'll maybe change the Waltz of the Flowers, update costumes ... we bring in different sets. So you're not going to see the same thing every year."

One noticeable change in this, the A.V.A. Ballet's fourteenth performance, will be the absence of Barry Jekowsky, who until this year had conducted the accompanying Reno Philharmonic. Jekowsky left the Philharmonic earlier this year. Conducting in his stead will be Michael Borowitz, artistic director of the Nevada Opera.

"We really miss Barry Jekowsky," Van Alstyne said, but added that he is excited to be working with Borowitz -- known by many opera-goers for his ebullient, charismatic presence. "I kind of go by instinct and I just have the sense that he's going to be phenomenal."

Clara will be performed by Eri Nishihara, a student at the Conservatory of Movement.

Other principal dancers will include Mayo Sugano of the Bay Area's Diablo Ballet and her husband, Rory Hohenstein, who will perform the Snow Queen and King pas de deux; Adam Schiffer and Alicia Fabry from the Carolina Ballet, as well as dancers from the San Francisco and Miami ballets.

Rounding out the cast are A.V.A.'s corps de ballet and budding dancers -- as young as 8 years old -- from ballet schools around the region.

Cordelia Leeder, a junior at Reno High School, is dancing in her second "Nutcracker" this year, with roles as a snowflake in the snow scene and a white soldier in the fight scene, as well as a part in the Spanish scene.

"I particularly enjoy the snow scene," said Leeder, who has been dancing for 11 years, since she was 4 years old. "The costumes are beautiful and the music is very transportive and amazing."

The company began rehearsing this year's "Nutcracker" back in September. Leeder said preparations are going well.

"It sometimes becomes difficult to fit everything into one day," she said, "but rehearsals are always very productive and act as a stress-reliever."

Van Alstyne concurs, and says he appreciates the progress his company has made over the years.

"My corps de ballet is extremely strong," Van Alstyne said. "A lot of the corps do some solo roles because they've gotten so technically advanced."

The younger dancers have impressed him, as well.

"They work so hard -- they're just wonderful little kids," Van Alstyne said. "They have to have the timing, the technique, they have to know the steps.

"Some of them have never been on that big a stage (as the Pioneer Center) before. And they come off huffing and puffing because my choreography is pretty hard."

Putting on a show of this magnitude is an all-consuming task for Van Alstyne and his performers, but he said he enjoys "the journey, all of it."

In fact, following a season's worth of hard work, he and the dancers always feel a little depressed when the curtain falls on their final show.

On the bright side, though, he finally can get down to work on that holiday shopping.